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In the Hellenistic age, when an intense colonisation process developed in which the rulers themselves played a fundamental role, the cult of the oikist still appears to be a vital and deeply rooted practice. This contribution examines some of the known cases (mostly relating to foundations of Alexander’s diadochoi), in order to verify the role played by the sovereigns and poleis respectively in the establishment and survival of the cults in question.

The launch of NuSTAR and the increasing number of binary black hole (BBH) mergers detected through gravitational wave observations have exponentially advanced our understanding of BHs. Despite the simplicity owed to being fully described by their mass and angular momentum, BHs have remained mysterious laboratories that probe the most extreme environments in the universe. While significant progress has been made in the recent decade, the distribution of spin in BHs has not yet been understood. In this work, we provide a systematic analysis of all known BHs in X-ray binary systems (XBs) that have previously been observed by NuSTAR, but have not yet had a spin measurement made using the “relativistic reflection” method obtained from those data. By looking at all the available archival NuSTAR data of these sources, we measure 10 new BH spins: IGR J17454-2919 − a=0.97−0.17+0.03; GRS 1758-258 − a=0.991−0.019+0.007; MAXI J1727-203 − a=0.986−0.159+0.012; MAXI J0637-430 − a = 0.97 ± 0.02; Swift J1753.5-0127 − a=0.997−0.003+0.001; V4641 Sgr − a=0.86−0.06+0.04; 4U 1543-47 − a=0.98−0.02+0.01; 4U 1957+11 − a=0.95−0.04+0.02; H 1743-322 − a=0.98−0.02+0.01; and MAXI J1820+070 − a=0.988−0.028+0.006 (all uncertainties are at the 1σ confidence level). We discuss the implications of our measurements on the entire distribution of stellar-mass BH spins in XBs, and we compare them with the spin distribution in BBHs, finding that the two distributions are clearly in disagreement. Additionally, we discuss the implications of this work on our understanding of how the “relativistic reflection” spin measurement technique works, and discuss possible sources of systematic uncertainty that can bias our measurements.

We extend our recent work on black hole spin in X-ray binary systems to include an analysis of 189 archival NuSTAR observations from 24 sources. Using self-consistent data reduction pipelines, spectral models, and statistical techniques, we report an unprecedented and uniform sample of 36 stellar-mass black hole spin measurements based on relativistic reflection. This treatment suggests that prior reports of low spins in a small number of sources were generally erroneous: our comprehensive treatment finds that those sources tend to harbor black holes with high spin values. Overall, within 1σ uncertainty, ∼86% of the sample are consistent with a ≥ 0.95, ∼94% of the sample are consistent with a ≥ 0.9, and 100% are consistent with a ≥ 0.7 (the theoretical maximum for neutron stars; a = cJ/GM 2). We also find that the high-mass X-ray binaries (those with A-, B-, or O-type companions) are consistent with a ≥ 0.9 within the 1σ errors; this is in agreement with the low-mass X-ray binary population and may be especially important for comparisons to black holes discovered in gravitational wave events. In some cases, different spectra from the same source yield similar spin measurements but conflicting values for the inclination of the inner disk; we suggest that this is due to variable disk winds obscuring the blue wing of the relativistic Fe K emission line. We discuss the implications of our measurements, the unique view of systematic uncertainties enabled by our treatment, and future efforts to characterize black hole spins with new missions.

The nearby Type II active galactic nucleus (AGN) 1ES 1927+654 went through a violent changing-look (CL) event beginning 2017 December during which the optical and UV fluxes increased by four magnitudes over a few months, and broad emission lines newly appeared in the optical/UV. By 2018 July, the X-ray coronal emission had completely vanished, only to reappear a few months later. In this work we report the evolution of the radio, optical, UV and X-rays from the preflare state through mid-2021 with new and archival data from the Very Long Baseline Array, the European VLBI Network, the Very Large Array, the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo, Gran Telescopio Canarias, The Neil Gehrels Swift observatory, and XMM-Newton. The main results from our work are (i) the source has returned to its pre-CL state in optical, UV, and X-ray; the disk–corona relation has been reestablished as it has been in the pre-CL state, with an α OX ∼ 1.02. The optical spectra are dominated by narrow emission lines. (ii) The UV light curve follows a shallower slope of ∝ t −0.91±0.04 compared to that predicted by a tidal disruption event. We conjecture that a magnetic flux inversion event is the possible cause for this enigmatic event. (iii) The compact radio emission which we tracked in the pre-CL (2014), during CL (2018), and post-CL (2021) at spatial scales <1 pc was at its lowest level during the CL event in 2018, nearly contemporaneous with a low 2–10 keV emission. The radio to X-ray ratio of the compact source L Radio/L X−ray ∼ 10−5.5 follows the Güdel–Benz relation, typically found in coronally active stars and several AGNs. (iv) We do not detect any presence of nascent jets at the spatial scales of ∼5–10 pc.

The development and implementation of self-consistent spectrotemporal models of X-ray reverberation off of the inner accretion disk have produced several recent X-ray-reverberation-based black hole (BH) mass measurements. We analyze the 2016 simultaneous NuSTAR + Swift observation of the Seyfert 1.5 galaxy 4U 1344−60, presenting the first temporal evidence of X-ray reverberation from the inner disk in this source by using Gaussian process regression to interpolate over gaps in the light curves. We find no such temporal signature in the 2011 Suzaku data, consistent with a previous analysis of that flux spectrum. By performing a joint spectrotemporal fit to the flux and lag spectra of the 2016 data, we show that the lag spectrum requires a boosted reverberation signal and prefers an enhanced coronal height compared to the flux spectrum. These inconsistencies may point toward a coronal and/or inner disk geometry significantly different than the assumed lamppost and razor-thin ones. The best model description prefers radial gradients in disk density and ionization, yielding a BH mass of MBH=2−1+2×107M⊙ , which is comparable to the range of BH mass estimates in the literature (i.e., MBH≈1−8×107M⊙ ). The lack of inner disk reverberation during the 2011 epoch and its emergence during the 2016 epoch may be due to a reduction in the beaming of a vertically extended X-ray corona or the inward migration of the inner disk radius if the disk is “slim” instead of razor-thin.

The spin of a black hole (BH) encodes information about its formation and evolution history. Yet the understanding of the distribution of BH spins in X-ray binaries (XBs), of the models used to measure spin, and of their impact on systematic uncertainties remains incomplete. In this work, we expand on previous analyses of the entire NuSTAR archive of accreting BH XBs. Prior work compiled a sample of 245 spectral fits using the relativistic reflection method for NuSTAR observations of 36 BH systems. Here, we aim to probe two aspects: the connection between BH spin and binary system properties, and the relationships between parameters in the spectral fits. We identify moderate negative correlations between spin uncertainty and both BH mass and system inclination, and a moderate positive correlation with distance. We also point out tentative multidimensional degeneracies between inclination, disk density, Fe abundance, ionization, and the presence or absence of absorption features from ionized outflows linked to disk winds. Lastly, we provide a comprehensive view of the observed distribution of BH spins in XBs, in comparison to spins inferred from gravitational waves. We find that the distribution of BH spins in XBs can be described by a beta distribution with α = 5.66 and β = 1.09. This data set is highly complex, and the analysis presented here does not fully explore all potential parameter correlations. We make the full data set available in Zenodo to the community to encourage further exploration.

Ultrafast outflows (UFOs) are powerful, highly ionized winds launched from the innermost regions of active galactic nuclei (AGNs), reaching velocities of 0.03–0.3c and playing a key role in AGN feedback. We present a photoionization analysis of an 18 ks XMM-Newton snapshot of the Seyfert 1 AGN Mrk 877, revealing three distinct UFO components with line-of-sight velocities of 0.10−0.005+0.005c , 0.04−0.004+0.005c , and 0.05−0.004+0.005c . These components span a broad range of ionization parameters and column densities, producing absorption features across both soft and hard X-ray bands. Even under the most conservative assumption for the volume filling factor, the fastest component exceeds 5% of the Eddington luminosity, making it capable of driving strong galaxy-scale feedback. The soft X-ray UFO component, despite its lower ionization, shares a similar velocity as a higher-ionization component, hinting at a two-phase medium likely shaped by clumpiness or interactions with ambient material. The density profile inferred from the absorption measurement distributions and the positive trend between outflow momentum rate and radiation momentum flux suggest that wind is powered by a combination of radiative and magnetic driving.

This study evaluated the influence of sire genetic merit for residual feed intake (RFI) on carcass and ham quality traits in heavy pigs raised under the restricted feeding conditions typical of Protected Designation of Origin dry-cured ham production. A total of 417 purebred C21 Goland pigs, offspring of 23 sires, were randomly assigned to ad libitum , restricted medium-protein, or restricted low-protein dietary treatments. Sire breeding values (EBV) for RFI were estimated using RFI records of ad libitum -fed progeny between 96 and 161 kg body weight. Sires were classified into three RFI groups: low EBV (LRFI), medium EBV (MRFI), and high EBV (HRFI). Effects of RFI sire groups were estimated on traits recorded on the restricted-fed progeny. Progeny of LRFI sires exhibited differences in carcass traits, including a significantly higher carcass weight gain (+0.03 kg/day, corresponding to +7.3%; p< 0.01) and increased green ham yield (+1.3%, p < 0.05), compared to those of HRFI sires. LRFI progeny showed no differences in ham fat depth, but exhibited improved subcutaneous fat quality, including higher saturation (increased stearic acid, reduced linoleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids) and lower iodine number, as well as firmer subcutaneous fat. No variation in ham weight loss during dry-curing was observed across RFI sire groups. These findings suggest that selection for improved RFI does not significantly compromise carcass and dry-cured ham quality in restricted-fed heavy pigs. Incorporating RFI into selection objectives for sire lines could therefore provide a viable strategy for balancing production efficiency and product quality in heavy pig systems. These findings apply to restricted-fed heavy pigs of the population studied, and potential genotype × feeding regime interactions may limit direct extrapolation to other genetic backgrounds or production systems.

Accretion of black holes at near-Eddington or super-Eddington rates represents the most powerful episode driving black hole growth, potentially occurring across various types of objects. However, the physics governing accretion and jet–disk coupling in such states remains unclear, primarily due to the difficulty in detecting associated jets, which may emit extremely weakly or exhibit episodic behavior. Only a few near/super-Eddington systems have demonstrated radio activity, and it remains uncertain whether jets exist and what their properties are in super-Eddington active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and ultraluminous X-ray sources. This uncertainty stems mainly from the complex radio emission mix, which includes contributions from jets, star formation activity, photoionized gas, accretion disk wind, and coronal activity. In this work, we conducted high-resolution, very long baseline interferometry observations to investigate jets in the highly accreting narrow-line Seyfert I system I Zw 1. Our observations successfully revealed small-scale jets (with a linear size of ∼45 pc) at both 1.5 and 5 GHz, based on the high radio brightness temperature, radio morphology, and spectral index distribution. Additionally, the parsec-scale jet observed in I Zw 1 displays a knotted morphology reminiscent of other sources accreting at similar rates. In summary, the high accretion rates and jet properties observed in the AGN I Zw 1 may support the AGN/X-ray binary analogy in this extreme state.

This study aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the greenhouse gases (GHG) emission between 1991 and 2021 of both the entire Italian dairy cattle sector (ITA_POP) and the registered Holstein Friesian population only (HF). An attributional cradle-to-farm gate Life Cycle Assessment was performed, including emissions (methane–CH4, nitrous oxide–N2O, carbon dioxide–CO2) due to animal and manure management, feed production, and farm materials. The functional units were 1 year and 1 kg of fat- and protein-corrected milk. We applied 100-year global warming potential (GWP) metric. For 2011–2021 period, we also applied GWP star (GWP*). Data originated from Italian GHG accounting and official milk recording systems. From 1991 to 2021, annual GHG emission of ITA_POP decreased from 20.4 ± 2.7 to 15.5 ± 2.1 Mt CO2e and emission intensity (EI) from 1.90 ± 0.25 to 1.17 ± 0.16 kg CO2e/kg corrected milk. The share of officially registered HF cows in ITA_POP increased from 36 to 70%. The annual emission of HF increased by 32% to 12.2 ± 1.8 Mt CO2e, but its EI decreased by 34% to 1.09 ± 0.16 kg CO2e/kg corrected milk. The accumulation in GHGs in 2011–2021 period due to ITA_POP (100-year GWP) continuously increased. When considering the short lifetime of CH4 (GWP*), the rate of increase in the same years was quite lower, with a flat pattern in the last 5 years. The decrease in CH4 emission is compensating the accumulation of N2O and CO2 from fossil fuels, highlighting the need of considering GHGs lifetime in the estimation of dairy cow sector emissions.